


the hero complex (a study)

by vinndetta



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon Divergence - X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Erik has Issues, Hero Complex, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, POV Erik, What-If
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-20 03:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20221243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinndetta/pseuds/vinndetta
Summary: "I hate you," Erik spits. "I hate you and your stupid hero complex, your stupid instinct to save everyone, you stupid, self-sacrificing idiot! You always think you're right, but you're not always right!"Silence."What if, what if you meet someone that doesn't want to be saved?""What if," Erik shakes. "What if you meet someone you can't save? What do you do then? What then, Charles?"





	the hero complex (a study)

**Author's Note:**

> listen even i dont know what this means!! theres a quote from dark phoenix but its. a different spin on the ending i guess. listen, i really have no clue what's happening. i just wrote something and i decided it seemed okay.
> 
> this fic is all about reader interpretation and inferring. :) enjoy!

"Tell me," Erik stares down at the empty chessboard, the only chess piece a nook he twirls around his fingers. "Could a telepath theoretically make another human being fall in love with him?"

Instead of sitting down in the chair opposite the chessboard, Charles is in the corner of the room, watching Erik closely. Erik places the nook down in the center of the chessboard, twisting it around on the board. He leaves it there, sitting up straighter in the chair.

"I mean, surely, you know what love is, don't you? Even if you didn't, you surely must have picked it up from here," Erik taps his temple twice with a single finger.

Erik doesn't know where he's going with this. He hasn't seen Charles in such a long time, and he doesn't know what to do now. He had always thought of what he'd say if Charles had ever come back, what he'd say to the man after everything he's ever done to him. But now that this Charles is here, he doesn't know how to convey everything that he's ever felt, that he's ever wanted to say.

He wants to say sorry, but he doesn't know what for.

So he doesn't.

Charles is rubbing off on him, even after all these years.

"Have you ever loved?" Erik starts, but shakes his head, standing up. "Can a telepath even love?" He amends.

Charles looks disappointed in him.

Erik knows that's how he's looked at him for the past couple of decades.

"A hypothetical, of course." Erik knows that's not what he meant to ask.

"...Did you ever love me?"

Charles doesn't say anything, just waits there, watching.

"I hate you," Erik spits, striding towards him to get directly into Charles's face. "I _hate_ you and your _stupid_ hero complex, your stupid instinct to save everyone, you stupid, self-sacrificing _idiot_! You always think you're right, but you're not always right!"

Silence.

"What if, what if you meet someone that doesn't want to be saved?"

"What if," Erik shakes. "What if you meet someone you can't save? What do you do then? What then, Charles?"

Charles simply stands there, his face showing no emotion. He hasn't said a word at all, which is interesting considering he always has a speech.

_You're always sorry, Charles, and there is always a speech, but nobody cares anymore._

His own words echo through his brain.

Erik wants to say sorry, but he knows that's just the Charles in him trying to speak.

"Say something, would you?"

Charles looks at him.

Erik thinks he misses the speeches.

"I was going to offer you a place to stay, you know. But you had to be the hero, didn't you? I hate you, I hate you, I _loved_ you, I hate you, so say something!"

Charles doesn't even manage a blink.

Erik slaps him.

The cardboard cutout falls to the ground.

"Charles," Erik's voice cracks.

  
A million miles away, a grave is lowered into the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> talk to me at @vinndetta / @twinkcharlesxavier on tumblr!


End file.
